Saddle



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. MBTOALF.

SADDLE, No. 553.211. Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

INDHLW lGRlKAM.PNUTWU'I'NaWASHINGTOMQC (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. A. METOALF.

SADDLE. y N0.553,211. Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

MDREW B cuv jhcto umo WASNNGTONJC UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. METOALF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SADDLE.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,211, dated January 14, 1896.

Application filed November 9, 1 894. Serial No. 5 2 8,3 2 7.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. METCALF, of Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Saddles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates especially to ridingsaddles used in connection with horses, and is intended to be an improvement upon the saddle for which I applied forLetters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 499,039, filed February, 189%.

My improvements have more particular reference to riding-saddles that are used by jockeys in races, in which the lightest and easiest construction, or thatleast calculated to hinder, annoy or impede the horse in his movements, is desired, though my improvements are also applicable to all riding-saddles; and my invention consists in the features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the tree detached from the saddle; Fig. 2, a plan View of the web portion stretched across the opening and secured to the tree; Fig. 3, a plan view of my preferred form of pneumatic cushion; Fig. 4, a plan View of the entire saddle, looking at it from the top; Fig. 5, a transverse section, taken on the irregular line 5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 6 a transverse section of the saddle, taken on line 6 of Fig. 4:.

In constructing a saddle with my improve ments I make a saddle frame or tree A, which may be made of any desired material, though I prefer to use for that purpose wood or in durated fiber.

The saddle-frame is provided with what I term an anterior central opening a, which serves to lighten the frame as much as possible and allows the desired resiliency for the pneumatic cushion hereinafter described. Stretched across this opening and secured to the under side of the bars of the saddletree is a web B, preferably formed of leather, and, as shown in Fig. 2, provided with notched portions b, which are bent under the saddletree and tacked or otherwise secured to the bar portion of such tree.

Secured to the under portion of the tree is the ordinary padded or felt cushion O, which (No model.)

prevents chafing of the horses back and allows the saddlegirth or surcingle to be tightened as desired.

The method of fastening the saddle and its frame to the body of the horse is not shown in my drawings; but as it is very old in the art and any ordinary method can be used, I deem it mere surplusage to show or describe the same, for, as above stated, it is well known to all skilled in the art and would not add materially to the illustration or descrip tion.

To attain the desired resiliency for my saddle and minimize the irregularities of the riders position when seated in the saddle or standing in the stirrups, I provide a rubber bag D, which is adapted to be filled with air through the valve cl and be inflated to any desired extent, thus forming a pneumatic cushion. This cushion is secured to the saddletree in any desired manner, preferably by notching its thinedges at cl, and tacking the same to the under side of the saddle. This cushion is secured to the saddletree or frame above the web portion B, and rests primarily on such web portion, thus preventing the cutting of the cushion by rubbing against the tree, while the web portion, which is stretched across the central opening of the tree, adds still further to the resiliency of the saddleseat. Thus, when the rider is seated in the seat of his saddle and his weight bears directly 011 the cushion, the irregularities of his motion are absorbed to a great extent by the cushion, and are not communicated to retard or disturb the horses motion. The pneumatic cushion is provided with a central opening (1 which allows the sides to be inflated to the greatest extent, as they are the portions which the rider more directly contacts, thus forming a better seat. The web portion B is notched at B and the pneumatic cushion at d to allow a place for the stirrup-straps to pass through, which are hereinafter described.

To sustain the weight of the rider while standing in the stirrup, I provide a stirrupstrap E, which is passed directly across the front portion of the pneumatic cushion, as shown in Figs. at and 5. This stirrup-strap is preferably made in two portions, the lower portion, E, passing through a ringe in the upper portion and around the bar of the saddletree, to the lower end of which is secured the ordinary or usual stirrup E The reason why I make the stirrup-strap in two portions is that should for any reason, the upper strap, 5 E, become broken the lower portion, which is passed around the bar of the saddletree and buckled at 6, would drop down and be supported by the bar of the saddletree, thereby minimizing any danger of throwing the rider. 10 It will thus be seen that when the rider is standing in the stirrups and leaning forward to urge his horse onward all his weight bears, through the stirrup-straps, directly on the pneumatic cushion, so that his irregularities of motion are again absorbed by this pneumatic cushion.

To protect the pneumatic cushion from wear by the stirrup-strap or by the rider, I provide a flap portion G, which is interposed between the pneumatic cushion and the stirrup-strap. (See Fig. 5). This flap is preferably formed of leather, and is slotted at g to permit the lower portion of the stirrupstrap to pass around the saddletree-bar and contact the outer surface of the flap. This flap is sufficiently long to extend down below the saddle portion, as shown in Fig. 4, and prevent the horses body from being chafed or worn by the action of the stirrup-strap. The stirrupstrap is secured to the flap at 9 preferably by sewing, (see Fig. 4,) so that it is prevented from shifting from one side to the other.

To stillfurther inclose and protect the different parts of the saddle from contacting the 3 5 riders clothing and from the elements, as well as to present a neat appearance from the outside, Iprovide a skirt portion H, whichis secured to the saddletree-bar on the under side and has the depending portions H at the for- 0 ward portion of the saddle free and of sufficient length to hang down, as shown in Fig. 5, and cover the side portions of the stirrupstrap and saddletree-bar.

This invention differs from the ordinary cushioning or pads which are secured to the saddle-frame and interposedbetweenthe saddle-frame and the horse for protecting the horses body in that the tightening of the sur-- cingle or girth in ordinary saddles compresses the cushion and destroys much of its resiliency, while in this invention the pneumatic cushion'acts as a support for the weight of the rider and not as a pad for the saddle-frame. The advantages of my improved saddle over those now in use are that the saddle-frame with its pads and different parts are combined with a pneumatic cushion, and so arranged with regard to each other that the frame may be secured to the horses body independent of the pneumatic portion, so that when the weight of the rider is placed in the saddle the tightening or loosening of the surcingle or girth has no eifect whatever on the pneumatic cushion. This pneumatic cushion is so arranged on the saddle-frame and secured to it in such a manner that the stirrup-strap may be passed over it or may be secured to it, and thus support the Weight of the rider at all times, whether he is seated in the saddle or standing in the stirrup, and minimize the irregularities of his position or the effect of his different positions upon the horses back.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness as regards details and as applied to certain specific uses, I do not desire to be limited unduly thereto no more than is pointed out in the claims. On the contrary, I contemplate all proper use, changes in form construction and arrangement as circumstances may suggest or render expedient.

I claim- 1. In saddles, the combination of a frame consisting of a tree provided with an interior central opening, a web portion stretched across such opening and secured to the tree, a pneumatic cushion provided with an interior central opening, 01 secured to the tree above the web, and a leather skirt portion covering the pneumatic cushion and secured tothe tree, substantially as described.

2. In saddles, the combination of a tree portion provided with pads, and an interior opening", means for securing the frame portion to a horse, a leather web stretched across and se cured to the tree portion to cover the interior opening, a pneumatic cushion secured to the tree portion above the web, and a stirrup strap passed over such pneumatic cushion to support the weight of the rider independently of the frame while standing in the stirrup, substantially as described.

3. In saddles, the combination of a saddle tree provided with an interior opening and other parts, a leather web portion stretched across the interior opening of the tree and seoured to the tree, a pneumatic cushion provided with a central interior opening and se cured to the tree above the web portion, a skirt secured to the tree above the pneumatic cushion and covering the pneumatic cushion, and a stirrup strap passed across the pneumatic cushion and bearing thereon under pressure of the stirrups to support the weight of the rider independently of the frame, substantially as described.

JOHN A. METOALF.

\Vitness'es:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, THOMAS B. McGREeoR.

IIO 

